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Introduction: In Japan, online medical care for emergency contraceptives (ECP) was approved in 2019, but only trained pharmacists can fill the prescriptions. Pharmacists are required to confirm necessary information and provide medication counseling and psychological support for women. The government mentions the need for future consideration regarding over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the awareness and efforts of pharmacists regarding ECP through a questionnaire survey.Methods: A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted involving 229 randomly selected pharmacists.Results: The self-assessment of pharmacists' ECP-related knowledge was low, especially their lack of knowledge of the mechanism of action (31.9%). It was also suggested that 60.3% of pharmacists were concerned about women's psychological support. No pharmacist requested an ECP prescription through online medical care, but 46.9% wanted to attend a training session in the future and request a prescription. A total of 44.5% of pharmacists were against OTC conversion of ECP.Conclusion: At this point, many pharmacists are worried about ECP-related knowledge and the psychological support of patients. Common patient-handling procedure manuals and explanatory documents are required to appropriately respond to patients'. Additionally, improving the knowledge and preparation of pharmacists for OTC drugs was considered necessary.
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Background: Self-medication is widely practiced worldwide and often considered as a component of self-care. Selfmedication assumes a special significance among the medical students as they are the future medical practitioners and have a potential role in counselling the patients about the advantages and disadvantages of self-medication. Self-medication assumes a special significance among the medical students as they are the future medical practitioners. Medical students also differ from the general population because they are well-exposed to the knowledge about diseases and drugs. Therefore the present study was taken up to assess the extent of knowledge and practices of over the counter (OTC) drugs among the first year medical students in a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: A descriptive, cross sectional, non-interventional, observational study was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018 among 246 first year medical students. The data analyzed using descriptive statistics with percentages and averages using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS).Results: In the present study, it was found that 86% students practiced self-medication. Most common conditions for taking self-medication with OTC was fever (89%) followed by cough and cold (75%). 15% of them experienced adverse reactions on OTC self-medicated drugs. The main source of information during self-medication was reading material (56.3%) followed by advice from seniors/pharmacist (43.7%).Conclusions: Self-medication is widely practiced among undergraduate medical students. In this situation, we should educate the students about advantages and disadvantages of self-medication of over the counter drugs.
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Background: Package Insert is the primary source of drug information for the patient. It is a printed leaflet that contains information based on regulatory guidelines for the safe and effective use of a drug. Studies on package inserts in India had shown that crucial information was often missing, and they lacked uniformity.Methods: 100 oral drugs used in Obstertrics and Gynecology from different brands were collected from big pharmacies located at Jhalawar and available package inserts were analysed according to Sections 6.2 and 6.3 of Schedule D of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.Results: Out of 100 oral drugs studied, package inserts were found in 72 drugs, most available information in therapeutic indicators was Posology and method of administration (100%) followed by contra-indications (94.4%), use in pregnancy and lactation (83%), interactions (77.8%) whereas less information about antidote and least about ability in driving and use of machine. In pharmaceutical indicators, it is instruction for use (86%), followed by special precautions for storage (76.4%), shelf life in the medical product as packaged for sale (52.8%).Conclusions: This study showed that many information relevant to the safe and effective use of medication was lacking in the analyzed package inserts. It is, therefore, recommended to update the existing package inserts based on criteria mentioned in the Schedule D of Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1945.
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Background: As per Indian pharmacopoeia, package inserts are part of a label that provides information on the article. It may be the sole source of information for drugs, which are available in the pharmacies without the prescription and it may include both prescription and over the counter (OTC) drugs. So, to aid in safety and efficacy of these drugs, package inserts must follow the standard guidelines (The Drugs and Cosmetics rule, 1945). The objective of this study was to observe the status of the standard guidelines for package insert in drugs accessible as OTC drugs.Methods: Based on the inquiries made with pharmacies, list of drugs commonly bought without prescription was made. 256 drugs were evaluated. Their package inserts were observed for the extent to which the guidelines given by The Drugs and Cosmetics rule 1945, section 6.2 and 6.3 are being followed. Secondary objectives were made to assess if package inserts are physician friendly or patients friendly.Results: Package inserts were missing in 180 (70%) of the drugs. Therapeutic indications were present in 71% of the available package inserts (76). Pharmaceutical information was given in 57% of the package inserts. English was the preferred language and medicinal terms were used. Only one package insert was patient friendly.Conclusions: Package inserts should be made available in every drug. There should be a separate patient oriented package insert guideline, as per US food and drug administration (FDA), in India as well. This will aid in their safe and effective use.
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Dibucaine hydrochloride is an amide-type local anesthetic and it is well known to be a contact allergen. Although there are some reports of allergic contact dermatitis due to over-the-counter medications containing dibucaine in the foreign literature, there is only one report of it in the Korean literature. We report here on a case of allergic contact dermatitis due to an over-the-counter drug containing dibucaine in a 41-year-old-woman. The patch test with the preparation that she had used and the TRUE(R) test revealed positive reactions to the dibucaine mix and Moscool(R).
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Dermatitis, Allergic Contact , Dibucaine , Patch TestsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:To improve the classified drug control level and drug supervision in China by drawing advanced experiences from Germany.METHODS:The laws and regulations,standards for classified drug control in Germany were introduced.RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS:The humanized management,the management model on narcotic drugs,adopting advanced equipment and informationized management in Germany serve as a model for China to follow.
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OBJECTIVE:To learn about the advance in the formulation of OTC list in China.METHODS:The background about the prescription drug-OTC drug classification system in China were briefed,the principle and characteristics of the formulation of OTC list were introduced,and the working programmes in next stage were discussed.RESULTS & CONCLUSION:As a vital part of the drug classification system,a OTC list formulation has a lot of work to be done in the future.
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OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for rational administration of cough and cold medicines (CCMs) for children. METHODS: Through reviewing pertinent literature both at home and abroad, the data about the efficacy, safety and use of over the counter drug CCMs for children and the progress of the relative policy were analyzed. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: It has been shown that the CCMs have potential risks for children’s healthy although no proven evidence has been shown that these drugs are responsible for a series of the serious adverse events and death cases reported in literature. It is urgent to tighten control on the production, circulation and use of these drugs in view of the various drug varieties, frequent use, dosage error and repeated use caused by parents’ poor sense on drug safety.